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Today people think that women are liberated in the West and that thewomen's liberation movement began in the
20th century. Actually, thewomen's liberation movement was not begun by women but was revealed by Godto a
man in the seventh century by the name of Muhammad (peace be uponhim), who is known as the last Prophet of
Islam. The Qur'an and theTraditions of the Prophet (Hadith or Sunnah) are the sources from whichevery Muslim
.woman derives her rights and duties
I. HUMAN RIGHTS
Islam, fourteen centuries ago, made women equally accountable to God inglorifying and worshipping Him - setting
.no limits on her moral progress. Also, Islam established a woman's equality in her humanity with men
In the Qur'an, in the first verse of the chapter entitled "Women," Godsays, "O mankind! Be careful of your duty to
your Lord Who created youfrom a single soul and from it its mate and from them both have spreadabroad a
multitude of men and women. Be careful of your duty toward Allahin Whom you claim (your rights) of one
(another, and towards the wombs (that bore you). Lo! Allah has been a Watcher over you." (4:1
Since men and women both came from the same essence, they are equal in their humanity. Women cannot be by
nature evil (as some religious believe) or then men would be evil also. Similarly, neither gender can be superior
.because it would be a contradiction of equality
V. ECONOMIC RIGHTS
(The Qur'an states: "By the creation of the male and female; Verily, (the ends) ye strive for are diverse." (92:3-4
In these verses, God declares that He created men and women to be different, with unique roles, functions and
skills. As in society, where there is a division of labor, so too in a family; each member has different
responsibilities. Generally, Islam upholds that women are entrusted with the nurturing role, and men, with the
.guardian role. Therefore, women are given the right of financial support
The Qur'an states: "Men are the maintainers of women because Allah has made some of them to excel others and
(because they spend of their wealth (for the support of women)." (4:34
This guardianship and greater financial responsibility is given to men, requires that they provide women with not
.only monetary support but also physical protection and kind and respectful treatment
The Muslim woman has the privilege to earn money, the right to own property, to enter into legal contracts and to
manage all of her assets in any way she pleases. She can run her own business and no one has any claim on her
:earnings including her husband. The Qur'an states
And in no wise covet those things in which Allah hath bestowed His gifts more freely on some of you than on"
others; to men is allotted what they earn, and to women, what they earn; but ask Allah of His bounty, for Allah hath
(full knowledge of all things." (4:32
A woman inherits from her relatives. The Qur'an states: "For men there is a share in what parents and relatives
leave, and for women there is a share of what parents and relatives leave, whether it be little or much - an ordained
(share." (4:7
VIII. CONCLUSION
The Qur'an states: "And it becomes not a believing man or a believing women, when Allah and His Messenger
(Muhammad) have decided on an affair (for them), that they should (after that) claim any say in their affair; and
(whoso is rebellious to Allah and His Messenger, he verily goes astray in error manifest." (33:36
The Muslim woman was given a role, duties and rights 1400 years ago that most women do not enjoy today, even in
the West. These are from God and are designed to keep balance in society; what may seem unjust or missing in one
.place is compensated for or explained in another place. Islam is a complete way of life
Mary Ali and Anjum Ali --
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